Move on over to Stage West for this hilarious sex farce

I honestly can’t remember the last time I laughed so much and so hard at live theatre.

Stage West has brought back “Move Over Mrs. Markham and even though this isn’t the first time it has run at the popular dinner theatre, it is the first time I’ve ever seen it, or even heard of it.

My good friend Louis B. Hobson, a theatre director, critic, columnist and radio personality, insisted that I had to see it. He has actually directed Move Over Mrs. Markham at other venues himself and assured me I would enjoy it. He was very right.

The play is set at Joanna Markham and Phillip Markham’s apartment in London. Phillip’s business partner, Henry Lodge has planned a romantic escape with a woman he met on the phone at the Markham’s apartment on a night they planned to go out. Henry’s wife, Linda, who is Joanna Markham’s best friend has also done the same thing. And the Markham’s interior decorator and their au pair girl also plan a quiet evening at the Markham apartment — all on the same night!

I absolutely hate vulgarity and that’s what’s so nice about this British sex farce — it is never vulgar or crude, just naughty and funny. The confusion and dialogue that ensues is absolutely gut splitting. And of course, my gut was already rather full from the absolutely delicious buffet. The rack of lamb was melt-in-your-mouth delectable but then so was the roast beef, the sautéed jumbo prawns with cashews, the Alaskan snow crab legs, the sushi, the butternut squash ravioli with white truffle oil, etc., etc. Then there’s the desert, fruit and cheese.

As General Manager Gary Tse said at intermission, “if you don’t laugh at this show, you should check your pulse, because you’re probably not alive.” Nice to say, the entire crowd laughed a lot, not a corpse in sight.

All of the actors did a great job. Patric Masurkevitch played the perfect cad as Henry Lodge and Jane Noble does a super job as Mrs. Markham, whose character loosens up as things get zanier and zanier at the apartment. But my favourite characters were Mr. Markham, played by J. Sean Elliott, who reminds me a bit of John Cleese, particularly in the second act, when he is forced to pretend he is the Markham’s butler.

But my favourite was the character of Olive Harriet Smythe, a famous children’s author, played by Anne McGrath, who unwittingly walks into the middle of all of the confusion.

As I always say, you can’t go wrong with Stage West. The food alone is worth the admission price, there isn’t a bad seat in the house and the entertainment is top notch.

If you like to laugh (and eat delicious food) go see Move Over Mrs. Markham.

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